Want to know a secret? Seventy-eight percent of college students in Texas begin their journey toward a bachelor’s degree by first attending a community college like Lone Star College. There are many reasons LSC is one of the fastest-growing community college systems in the nation and the first choice for students looking to succeed.

Many people are surprised to learn just how much LSC has to offer future students. Everybody knows that community or technical colleges are less expensive than four year schools but there is much more to the LSC story than just cost.

LSC faculty has excellent credentials. RateMyProfessor.com, a national website where students rank their professors, lists LSC’s active professors as having a 3.85 out of four rating. LSC professors typically have at least a master’s degree, and many have doctorates. LSC faculty also has real life experiences in the fields that they teach, have special certifications or both.

Another reason students love to attend LSC is small class size! LSC averages 23 students per classroom, which means a lower instructor-to-student ratio. The smaller classes help students become more involved, an important factor in overall success. At Lone Star College most instructors know everyone’s names and they keep up with students personally.

If you’re worried that you will miss out on extracurricular activities by attending LSC, think again. Lone Star College has student clubs and organizations at each campus including athletics, student government, student organizations, theater activities, music performance groups, and other activities aimed at providing students with an over-all college experience.

LSC is a great place to start if earning a four-year or graduate degree is your goal. Students who enroll with one of our partner universities at the LSC-Montgomery or LSC-University Park locations are able to complete a teaching certificate, bachelor’s or master’s degree without traveling to the university campuses. LSC students can also transfer core courses to all Texas state colleges and universities, and most private universities.

Finally, for students who work full time but still want to advance their education, LSC offers extensive evening programs and weekend offerings, in addition to award-winning online courses.

Close to home, affordable, small class size, terrific instructors and a vibrant campus atmosphere. When you add up all the advantages, you see that attending Lone Star College makes sense and saves cents!

Plan For Success: Take Advantage of Career Services

Beginning a career isn’t as simple as graduating from college and landing a job. Planning for a career requires looking within ourselves, exploring career options, and conducting a strategic job search. Like most things worth having in life, it requires hard work and planning. The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone.

The Lone Star College Career Services office invites students and graduates to explore the many resources and services available, designed to assist individuals in learning more about their interests, skills and values. The LSC-Career Services office also coordinates on-campus company recruitment of students, organizes career fairs, assists in the development of employability skills, helps in the preparation of marketable résumés, and provides students and graduates with local job opportunities through College Central Network, a job search website. LSC-Career Services is dedicated to helping you make informed decisions about your exploration process and career choices. Career counselors are available to assist you with:

Exploring and planning a career path;

Choosing a college major;

Changing a career;

Writing a résumé and cover letter;

Developing a job search plan;

Practicing interviewing for a job… and more!

Visit LoneStar.edu/career-services to learn more about all the tools available to get you started on your new career.

“More than 50 percent of energy companies have labor shortages and the sector is struggling with solutions,” said Chevron Chairman and CEO John Watson at a recent American Association of Blacks in Energy annual conference.

Lone Star College System is working hard to meet those needs with the construction of the Lone Star College Energy & Manufacturing Institute, a 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the art facility.

The EMI was developed by LSCS and Lone Star Corporate College in response to the national, state and local talent gap in the oil and gas, alternative energy, and manufacturing and mechanized (automated) production industries. It offers Lone Star College industry partners unparalleled access to state-of the-art classrooms and laboratories designed to prepare tomorrow’s energy technicians for the workplace.

“The workforce shortage has been caused by the retirement of current workers and company expansions to more worldwide locations,” said Linda Head, associate vice chancellor of workforce education and corporate partnerships. “This new facility will provide hands-on, job-related training that will help to fill those workforce needs.”

The EMI facility houses 28 labs, five classrooms, and two simulation rooms – designed to serve a larger student population and help meet this growing training need. EMI students learn cutting-edge techniques and processes in classes where low student-teacher ratios allow for personalized attention and supervision. With extensive input from energy and manufacturing industry partners, all instruction and equipment are relevant to current industrial specifications and needs.

The new Lone Star College Energy & Manufacturing Institute is located at the LSC-University Park campus at State Highway 249 and Louetta Road. EMI also operates satellite training at all Lone Star College campuses.

Cathy Rodriguez’s choice to register for the massage therapy program at Lone Star College-North Harris was one of luck. Rodriguez had missed the deadline to sign up for another program at the college, and thought that she would have to wait until next semester for class openings.

“I had seen an advertisement for massage therapy at school and it intrigued me,” said Rodriguez. “I met with massage therapy instructor, Aimee Rodriguez, who really put things into focus. She was passionate and living proof that you could be successful in this career. Now that we are in class I really feel this was my calling. There was a reason I missed that deadline and came to this program instead.”

When Rodriguez first entered the program, she thought that being a massage therapist was about making others feel good, but now it has become so much more to her.

“It’s been a state of mind, with benefits anywhere from circulation and relaxation, to the healing process that will release those hidden emotions lifting your worries out your mind. The overall spiritual, emotional and physical wellness of someone and helping them achieve their highest potential on that is what I crave now,” added Rodriguez.

Rodriguez has plans after graduation of going into the medical field to expand her knowledge in health and wellness. Rodriguez would like to travel the world to learn more concepts from different cultures to help benefit her career plans. Her goal is to one day open her own massage therapy facility to teach and train students.

Lone Star Corporate College partners with global corporations to provide personalized training, open enrollment courses and professional seminars. Energy, computer technology and advanced manufacturing sectors are the primary workforce sectors, but LSCC also provides training for retail, hospitality, school districts, health care organizations, nonprofits and many other industries.

Lone Star Corporate College trains tomorrow’s workforce by working directly with industry leaders to identify their goals and developing training programs to advance a business’s most important asset: human capital. This training can take place at a worksite, a Lone Star College campus or online.

Students and employees interested in a new career, changing careers or updating their current skills, use these programs to help them earn the credentials needed to meet their short and long-term goals.

Lone Star Corporate College students learn the concentrated, workforce-specific skills they need to advance their career in Texas’ growing industries.

People entering the workforce, as well as seasoned workers who want to upgrade their skills, receive hands-on training using state-of-the-art equipment.

The Lone Star College Workforce Council, in conjunction with the Office of Workforce Development, analyzes the local job market to ensure that LSC is developing programs to meet current industry needs and standards.

Many Lone Star College courses and certification programs can be customized for employers and their employees through Lone Star Corporate College.

Sandvik Coromant, a leading supplier of tools and tooling solutions to the metalworking industry, is one such partner to Lone Star College, offering industry-based education resources, student presentations, sharing and transferring industry knowledge, and providing display materials for exhibits.

“They (Lone Star College) have the ability to clearly articulate their mission and values. Lone Star College has been very effective in their efforts to engage Sandvik Coromant as a partner,” said Dave Conger, Sandvik Coromant senior regional manager. “You can feel the passion they have for education.”

“We suggest looking at the student’s hobbies, talents, and passion to see what they like to do,” said Woodard when asked how to help students determine a career path. “We show the students a wide range of different industries. Our goal is to get students to have what we call an ‘aha moment’ where we spark something in them by helping them explore different career paths. It’s like a light bulb switching on where they see a path they can pursue.”

Find out more on how Lone Star College is taking an active role in training tomorrow’s workforce and producing a highly skilled labor force for the manufacturing industry by visiting LoneStar.edu/corporatecollege.

Life is good for Richard Horn. He recently gained a fulfilling position as a cyber security network engineer with Enterprise Products, a leading U.S. provider of midstream energy services, and is being compensated handsomely for his skills and expertise. However, it was an arduous journey before the Lone Star College-Tomball Cisco Networking Academy graduate finally found the job of his dreams.

In 1992, Horn graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. After a four-year stint as a laboratory technician in the petroleum industry, he got a job with Lone Star College-Kingwood as a laboratory coordinator, and that’s when things started to change.

“I have always been interested in science and technology. While employed at Lone Star College, I took some IT-related courses at night. Our division was the recipient of a National Science Foundation grant for the construction of an interdisciplinary computer lab, and I was tasked with its design, procurement and implementation,” said Horn.

The experience left Horn with a dilemma; take the safe route and continue working in the lab or take a chance and follow his passion.

“I had always been good with computers and began to think it was time for a career change. I saw the need for small office/home office IT technical support in the community and decided to try my luck at becoming a small-business owner. The business was fairly successful for a number of years until the 2008-2009 economic crash, at which point I lost a significant portion of my business,” recalled Horn.

That was when Horn decided that it was time to return to school.

“I enrolled in the Cisco Networking Academy at Lone Star College starting with the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) program. I continued through the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) program and CCNA Security program, and began looking for work as a network engineer,” said Horn.

The Cisco Learning Network focuses on providing education, training and guidance to anyone interested in building an IT career through Cisco product and service certification. That certification validates the ability to install, configure, operate and troubleshoot medium-size route and switched computer networks, including implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a wide area network.

Today, Horn is supporting cyber security at plants and facilities throughout Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. “The position is very hands-on and requires traveling to the remote plant sites to resolve issues. I enjoy getting out of the office and into the field where I can ‘get my hands dirty,’” he said.

Horn is quick to add that his success was in no small part due to his Cisco Networking Academy education and in particular the efforts of his professor, Willie May.

“I have more than 200 hours of college and worked at LSC-Kingwood, from the student side and the coworker side; I know a good instructor when I see one. Willie would always go out of his way to help, share his 40 years of industry knowledge, make sure you understand some very complicated material, even send e-mails about job openings. He was very interactive; he made you feel like part of the team,” said Horn.

When a friend’s father suggested that Ryan Rios attend a machining pre-apprenticeship certification program at Lone Star College-Conroe Center, he was skeptical. However, he investigated and soon discovered that there was a great demand for machinists in the area. He also learned that eight weeks of training at LSC-Conroe Center would give him the basics he’d need to get a good job in the field.

After Rios graduated from high school in San Antonio he moved to Houston where he enrolled in photography classes. With the scarcity of photography jobs, he realized that photography was destined to be a hobby. He moved to Conroe and worked at two jobs—at Target and at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion—to get by. The drain of working two jobs made Rios warm up to the idea of having just one higher-paying job. He also realized he needed more than just a job. He needed a career.

The more Rios thought about it, the more the machining pre-apprenticeship program made sense. He had good computer skills, manual dexterity, and a growing knowledge of automobile mechanics. Machining sounded like a good utilization of those skills. After a LSC-Conroe Center counselor helped him get a scholarship through Workforce Solutions, he enrolled in the program last March. “What did I have to lose?” he said.

Intensive training and hard work

The pre-apprenticeship program was “full-on, five days a week,” Rios said. One of the things he appreciated about the program was the expertise of his instructor, Robert Radakovich. “He has done pretty much everything. He has even built machines,” Rios says. “He gave us a good idea of what to expect.”

At Radakovich’s encouragement, Rios committed to taking full advantage of his educational opportunity by participating in class and studying diligently at home.

“He really applied himself,” said Radakovich. “He took it real seriously and it paid off.”

As the program neared its end in May, Rios heard about LSC-Conroe Center’s partnership with National Oilwell Varco (NOV). In need of machinists, NOV representatives came to LSC-Conroe Center to conduct interviews with students.

“We run a high-quality program at the LSC-Conroe Center,” said Celyn Christophe, LSC-Montgomery’s continuing education director, “in a state-of-the-art laboratory with subject matter and industry experts as instructors, who give our students a comprehensive and solid foundation in the subject matter.” Recognizing this, NOV welcomed the opportunity to join LSC to open doors for these talented students to enter the workforce.

A ‘good job’

Radakovich prepared Rios and his classmates for interviews beforehand. Still, when a NOV general manager and a human resources representative arrived on campus, Rios was nervous.

“I did my best, but when it came down to it, they hired my whole class,” he said with a smile.

Rios finished his pre-apprenticeship program in May and started his job at NOV the following Monday. There he learned specialized computer numerical control (CNC) skills from an on-the-job trainer. Several months later, he began working.

“He always wants to learn more tricks of the trade,” said Adam Harvey, Rios’s supervisor at NOV Downhole in Conroe. “From the time he clocks in until the time he clocks out, he’s always working hard. If everyone [from LSC-Conroe Center] is just like him, I’ll take plenty more.”

When Rios embarked on his new career, he had three goals: financial independence, benefits, and a growing 401K. All three goals have been met; furthermore, he enjoys the mental challenge and relaxed aspects of his job at NOV.

“I like working here,” he says. “It’s a good job!” And a great career.

Lone Star College-North Harris is innovating its cosmetology program through its partnership with world-renowned beauty brand CHI. The college’s relationship with CHI will expand possibilities for its cosmetology students and alumni by granting them access to opportunities unavailable anywhere else in the country.

The new CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology welcomed its first students to the facility this past January. The building, which is adjacent to the CHI manufacturing plant, will grant students direct access to one of the world’s most successful beauty product brands, allowing them to build more lucrative careers upon graduation.

Achieving top-tier incomes in cosmetology involves a complex, multifaceted approach, explained LSC-North Harris President, Dr. Steve Head, “It’s about understanding beauty as a broad spectrum: academic, scientific, and artistic; and also understanding the business side through customer relations and sales techniques.”

“Education is at the heart of our company’s success and innovation,” added Basim Shami—Farouk Systems CEO. “By partnering with LSC-North Harris, we are uniting one of the largest academic institutions with our internationally-renowned brand to create a new generation of schools. Our students will be mentored by celebrity stylists and award-winning platform artists, giving them the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the industry’s largest beauty shows, gain hands-on experience preparing looks for photo shoots, and working backstage at nationally televised events including Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.”

Farouk Shami, the founder and president of Farouk Systems and the CHI Brand, is qualified to run a beauty products company. As a hairdresser himself, he relocated his manufacturing operations from overseas to Houston. “We plan to continue growing here locally,” said Basim Shami. “Similar to the college, our company has a deep connection with the surrounding community, and this partnership exemplifies our shared commitment to investing in the success of those who live here.”

The crux of the program is learning that cosmetology is not just about the techniques of the craft, it’s about knowing how to operate in the larger economy. “This is truly a business model,” said Dr. Head. “The students will go to hair shows with CHI. They’re going to be taught the business side—how to run a business, because [Farouk Shami] has been so successful in really creating the brand and the products, with a billion dollars a year in sales.”

When people consider going to school, one of the first questions on their minds is whether they will be able to find a job that matches and respects their newly attained skillset. “The end goal here is to get them jobs when they come out,” added Dr. Head. “We envision this as a model that will replicate at different locations across the country.” The partnership between Lone Star College-North Harris and CHI is a revolutionary approach to high-end cosmetology education and a beacon of opportunity for those in Houston and the surrounding area.

The CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology is currently accepting applications for new students.

While you might spend hours preparing your résumé, an employer will probably spend less than a minute reviewing it.

If you want to make a good impression your résumé has to pack a punch. Smart résumé writers know that they have to put the most important information right up front. They also know how to make effective use of fonts and white space, and they are careful to choose language that is clear and direct.

First, create visual interest

Select one typeface for headings and another for text. Use different type sizes and highlight important text with italics, boldface, underline, and capital letters.

By bolding headings and underlining subheadings, divide your résumé into clear sections to make it easier to read. By balancing white space and text, it allows readers to easily zero in on those accomplishments that interest them.

Get specific

Gone are the days when you printed 50 identical résumés with a general objective. Employers want to know what position you’re seeking; they want to know that you want to work for them. So, show that you have done your research and target your résumé to the employer’s needs.

A targeted objective is clear and direct. Emma’s revised objective is, “To obtain a position in merchandising with Lane Bryant.” She names the employer and she shows she’s willing to start as a sales associate and work up to a managerial position.

Emphasize your strengths

You increase the visual impact of your résumé by using major headings such as Objective, Education, Work Experience, Activities, and Scholarships to group your skills and experiences. Although Emma used these categories in her first résumé, she gave them new emphasis in her revision. Work Experience is usually the largest category and Emma lists her job titles in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent.

Choose your words carefully

When it’s time to add the details to each section of your résumé, use powerful action verbs and specific information. In her revised résumé, action verbs like “sold,” “wrote” and “researched,” make it clear what Emma’s skills are, and they replace mushy words like “assisted,” or “provided” in her original résumé. These action verbs, combined with details, such as “create window displays” or “teach skin care” make a strong impression.

Don’t overlook the impact of keywords either. These are nouns or phrases that are specific to certain jobs or industries, and they help employers gauge an applicant’s skills. In Emma’s case, terms like retail inventory, event planner, customer service, merchandizing and window displays, clue employers that she’s qualified for work in merchandizing and marketing. Find keywords in job announcements and job descriptions.

Show what you know

Be sure that you include transferable skills in your résumé, too. These are skills that matter, no matter what the job. They “transfer” from one job to the next. Examples are teamwork, communication, leadership, time management and work ethic. If you manage your time well at one job, you will manage your time well at another job. Emma’s résumé mentions “teaching” and “recruiting” as skills she can use at Lane Bryant, or any other business.

Finally, end each job description with an accomplishment. For example, under Sales Associate, Emma demonstrates she is a capable and competent employee by stating, “Consistently helped store achieve daily sales goals…” Other examples of accomplishment are: “Demonstrated initiative by taking on management responsibilities.”

Remember, your résumé might be your only opportunity to make a good impression with an employer. It’s your calling card; it’s your foot in the door – and the better it looks, the better you look.

Dan Caldwell enjoys every part of his career at Memorial Hermann Hospital. He is a fully Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) working in the Detox Unit at Memorial Hermann’s Prevention and Recovery Campus in Houston.

Caldwell entered the Human Services program at Lone Star College-Montgomery in 2010. His goal was to go into the drug and alcohol treatment field. Lone Star College, said Caldwell, was an obvious choice. It was convenient, it was close to home and it was the only college that offered this course of study.

From then on, Lone Star College and its instructors made it easy for him and his fellow classmates to succeed, he said. The writing center helped him with an English paper and the tutoring center helped him pass math. “The math tutoring I used more than anything. I was there about 15-20 hours a week while taking math. I also was given one hour a week from my instructor. I could not have passed math
without it!”

Lone Star College’s instructors were some of the best that he ever had, and they had a huge impact on him becoming an LCDC, said Caldwell. “I had dropped out of high school in the 10th grade in 1990. I obtained a GED in 1999. In 2010, when I started at Lone Star College, [my instructors] really encouraged me and helped me to succeed along
the way.”

The classes that he took gave him the basis and education to take to his current job. They were some of the best that he ever had because they shared real-world experience, not just book work, said Caldwell.

Caldwell graduated in Spring 2012 with an AAS in Human Services. While at Lone Star College, he took on an internship, than became a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. He now works in the Young Adult Program at Memorial Hermann.

When asked about his favorite part of his job, Caldwell said that he likes working with other people, seeing families and giving them hope.

He advises recent graduates and job seekers to keep moving forward and to take life one step at a time.